In a known article dispensing machine, the articles are fed from a hopper into open-ended cavities in a holder. The holder is moved to a discharge station where it is tilted for discharge of the articles from the cavities. The holder includes a plurality of elongated slats provided with the cavities which are conveyed in a succession transversely of their length from the feeding station to the discharging station, where the holders are tilted for discharge of their contents to a succession of containers moved past the station. The known article dispensing machine is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,354,607 and U.S. Pat. No. 3,925,960.
With machines of the foregoing general type, difficulty has been experienced with occasional articles being stuck in the cavity so that they do not discharge under gravity at the discharge station. Sometimes the articles are oversize. Sometimes they become wedged into the cavity by dust particles or pieces or chips broken off the articles. This difficulty is particularly troublesome where complete discharge is requisite for accurate count, since an error in the count is thereby produced which may continue through many cycles before the condition is detected.
The invention relates to an article dispensing apparatus having a feeding station and a discharge station. The dispensing apparatus includes a conveyor, which has a plurality of holders each having at least one cavity adapted to receive at least one article, each holder having an open end. The dispensing apparatus further includes a conveying device adapted to convey the holders around a circuit, the circuit including areas where the holders are conveyed about an axis. The dispensing apparatus also has an article feeding device adapted to feed articles to the holders at the feeding station and a chute positioned at the discharge station and having an arcuate portion facing the open ends of the holders. The open ends of the holders include a surface complementary to the arcuate portion for inhibiting articles within the holders from being dispensed at a location other than the discharge station.
The invention also relates to an article dispensing apparatus having a feeding station and a discharge station, which includes a conveyor and an article feeding device adapted to feed articles to holders at the feeding station. The conveyor includes a plurality of elongated holders connected for movement in a direction transverse to their length, each holder having a tongue on one side and a groove on another side. The conveyor also includes a conveying device adapted to convey the holders around a circuit, the circuit including areas where the holders are conveyed about an axis. Each tongue fits within a respective groove of an adjacent holder allowing the holders to ride in close conformity around the circuit.
These and other advantages and features of the invention will be more readily understood from the following detailed description which is provided in connection with the accompanying drawings.